We're Not Broken, Just Bent
by pineapple-dalek
Summary: Shawn made one little mistake, and now he's paying for it. His whole life is being turned upside down and the one person who he thought loved him, has abandoned him. As Shawn tries to fix things, there's still one or two more surprises waiting for him. Shassie! A few twists & turns but a happy ending! Just keep an open mind ;) Story 1 in the series "Just Give Me a Reason, Lassie!"
1. Chapter 1

YAY NEW SHASSIE STORY!

I'm really excited to post this story! I've been working on it for over a year and a half and am finally ready to post! And there is going to be an additional story that like runs parallel to this, I just have to expand and finish it.

This is mainly about Shawn & Lassie's established relationship and the bumps they are going to hit along the road before their happy ending. There is a surprise that I should warn about but I don't want to give it away. So if you don't like certain story themes/plot points, don't read. It is AU and I'll explore more in the second story. I love suspense and leaving my readers in suspense, which is one reason why you don't get the second story right away (besides it not being finished) and I'm posting this a chapter at a time. This story is finished, so don't worry!

There's no real good spot to place this in the series since it's AU, but Shawn has been working for the department for over 5 years and Henry is working at the department. Shawn and Juliet never dated and Carlton never met Marlowe.

The title is from P!nk's song "Just Give Me a Reason". She's my favorite artist and this song just really fits most of the plot points.

_**DISCLAIMER:**_I don't own Psych, am not associated with it in anyway, and am not trying to make a profit off of it. Same thing goes for P!nk and her song. I'm not an expert in anything: medicine, law enforcement, relationships, etc. I just know how to google and use "common" sense.

So, like I said, this story is finished! I'm going to attempt to post twice a week, probably Tuesdays and Saturdays. I don't hold stories ransom for reviews but I just might get busy and not have time to post. There is one week when I might not get to post but I'll try to figure that out. It should take less than 6 weeks, depending on whether I post 2 chapters in 1 night since a couple are short.

Shout-out to Pineapple Moon who beta-read this story and helped me decide on things like title and summary.

Enjoy!

* * *

CHAPTER 1

As Shawn walked through the station, everything went quiet and still. For once, he did not like the attention that he was getting from his coworkers. Or should he say former coworkers; hopefully not executioners. Keeping his eyes forward, he tried to ignore all the stares and glares. Reaching the chief's office, he barely knocked before a firm voice said, "Come in." Taking a deep breath, Shawn entered and quickly shut the door. He knew it wasn't a good thing that all the blinds were closed. After all the trouble he caused the department the past week, he was afraid to be alone with her.

"Sit." Karen commanded, continuing to type on her computer, not giving him a single glance.

Shawn bit his lip and sat down, for once not saying a thing. He bounced his leg nervously and stared at the floor as he listened to the tapping of keys.

After what seemed like an eternity, the tapping stopped and he heard the chair squeak. There was another minute of silence before Karen spoke. "We both know why you are here and I suppose you would like to know what I have decided."

He nodded, still afraid to say anything.

She took a deep breath. "After much deliberation and quite a few phone calls, I believe I have come up with a punishment that will fit the crime."

Shawn frowned and looked up at that. If he wasn't mistaken, it almost sounded as though…

"If you meet all the terms of the agreement to my satisfaction, then the department will not press charges."

Shawn let out a huge sigh of relief and relaxed in the chair. "Thank you chief."

Karen grimaced. "I'm not sure you will be saying that in a few minutes."

He sat up. "Why? What are these terms I must meet?"

"First, you must attend the police academy…"

"Oh no," He groaned.

She ignored him and continued, "After graduation, you can either join the department as a rookie or get a private eye license. Either way, you will be working for the department for no less than 6 months, after which time you may either leave or continue working with us. So these are your choices: attend the academy and become an officer or private eye; or the department will press charges and you will go to prison. And trust me; you do not want to go to prison, especially with your arrest record. Although who knows how many of those criminals will be turned loose if the DA's office gets wind of this. Now, I suggest you think over your choices carefully and choose wisely."

Shawn leaned back in the chair and stared at the glass fish on the desk. He really didn't have a choice. If he didn't go to the academy, he would go to jail and probably wouldn't come out in one piece. This really sucked. But it was his own damn fault. If he was a little more careful, had paid a bit more attention, his secret wouldn't be out. Carlton hadn't spoken to him since that night, not that Shawn could blame him. They had been secretly dating for over a year and Shawn should have told him the truth once they became serious. Carlton was hurting and Shawn was to blame.

Sighing, Shawn looked at Karen and said, "I guess my dad will be happy; I'm finally going to the academy."

"Is that your final answer?"

"Yes Chief. I'm not an idiot. Well…sometimes I am, but this is a pretty easy choice."

"Very well." Karen handed him a sheet of paper. "Here is the agreement. You can take your time reading it, but basically it says that you are to complete basic academy training and then spend the following 6 months in the employment of the Santa Barbara PD as either a rookie officer or licensed private eye. If you fail to do that, the department will press charges on any and all infractions against you."

Shawn nodded as he quickly scanned the document. "And what about my dad and Gus?"

"Even though they were fully aware of your deceit, they will not face any consequences."

"Good." He signed the paper and handed it back, only to get a stack of papers.

"Here is all the information you will need about the academy. Most programs start in either January or July; but after much searching, I managed to find one that starts in 12 days: The Regional Training center in Dublin."

His eyes widened when he read the pamphlet. "Dublin? That's near San Francisco! It's so far away!"

"Mr. Spencer, you do not have a choice. You are lucky that I found one that starts so soon this close. There's also the option of going to the one in Eureka or to put you under house arrest for the next three months until a closer one begins. Now, you still have to take the test to get into the academy. Usually they close the application and testing process six weeks before a program starts, but I managed to convince them to make an exception. You will find a plane ticket there for a flight tomorrow morning and evening with your test at 2pm."

"But Chief, I don't have enough time to study."

Karen smiled as she picked up a packet and handed it over. "Then you better get started. The department will provide you with a monthly allowance of $500 to help with the cost of rent and living expenses."

"Wow. That's awfully generous of you."

"Not at all; half of it will be taken out of your paycheck once you graduate while the other half was anonymously donated."

"It was my father, wasn't it? I bet it was his idea in the first place. I knew it was a bad idea for him to be working at the police station again."

"Anyways," Karen said, effectively cutting off his train of thought. "As you probably know, $500 a month will only cover about half of what you will need to live near San Francisco, so I suggest that you get a part time job as well. So, do you have any other questions?"

Shawn flipped through the papers, "It says that the academy classes are Monday through Friday, 8 to 4pm. Am I allowed to come back to Santa Barbara on weekends?"

"You may do whatever you want on your free time, Mr. Spencer, within reason. Although you might want to work on weekends."

"Maybe. Am I allowed to still talk to members of the SBPD while I am at the academy?" Shawn tried to ask casually but knew a bit of nervousness showed through when Karen raised an eyebrow.

"So long as you are not bothering them with non-police business while they are working."

Shawn nodded. "Okay. Am I free to go?"

"Yes. And be advised, Mr. Spencer, I have asked to be kept informed. If I find out that you have failed a class or are repeatedly absent, there will be consequences."

"Yes ma'am." Shawn stood up and was about to open the door when he stopped and turned around. "Chief?"

Karen looked at him expectantly, "Yes, Mr. Spencer?"

Taking a deep breath, he said, "Thank you. Anyone else would have put me in a cell by now and thrown away the key. Thanks for giving me a second chance."

She smiled, "You have a lot of potential and certainly do not belong in jail. So please be good."

Shawn nodded as he finally exited. He shut the door and took a deep breath. He survived. Sure he was going to hate the academy but it was certainly better than jail. Looking around the bullpen, he noticed that most of the officers were ignoring him now. Spotting Carlton at his desk, Shawn slowly made his way over. He stopped a few feet away, close enough that Carlton would know that someone was nearby, yet far enough that he would have to look up from the case file to see who it was. Shawn noticed how tired Carlton looked and maybe a little pale. Was he sick? If he was, should he even be at work?

Before he could ponder it farther, Carlton sighed and looked up, "Can I help…you?"

"Hey Lassie," Shawn greeted quietly.

"What do you want Spencer?" Carlton asked tiredly.

"I just want to talk."

"Yeah, well, I'm busy. Find someone else to talk to."

"I can't. Gus is at work and my dad took some vacation time and isn't speaking to me right now. Besides, what I have to say is meant for you."

Carlton looked down at his case file. "Too bad."

"Please, Carlton! It's very important." Shawn took a few steps closer and hoped that the use of his first name would help him.

Carlton rubbed his face before sighing, "Fine."

"Great! There's this really nice restaurant a few blocks over and…"

"No. If we're going to talk, then we need to do it privately." Carlton lowered his voice. "I'll come to your house, say 8 o'clock? I'll let you know if I'm going to be late."

Shawn smiled slightly, "Thanks Lassie. And I am so, so sorry."

Carlton shook his head as he went back to his case file. "That's what they all say."

Shawn was about to ask if Carlton was sick when Karen interrupted him. "Mr. Spencer, what did I say about bothering my staff while they are working?"

"But I thought that was only when I was at the academy?"

"No, it goes into effect immediately! You are currently no longer employed by the station and are a civilian. You must vacate the premises unless escorted by an officer or are here on police business."

"Technically, I'm still here on police business," Shawn said without thinking.

"Spencer!" Carlton snapped. Shawn saw anger and a hint of worry on Carlton's face. "You were told to leave. Don't make me escort you out."

Shawn looked between Carlton, Karen and the other officers, including Juliet, who were watching the interaction. Sighing, Shawn turned and headed for the doors. "I guess I'll see you all later."

"Bye Shawn," He heard Juliet call. Shawn smiled at that. Of course Juliet would be the only one brave enough to say anything.

"Bye Jules," Shawn waved and headed outside, flipping through the papers he was given.


	2. Chapter 2

Hi!

Since ch 3 is so short, I'm doing a double update tonight! YAY!

Fair warning, sometimes my conversations get confusing since I don't want to put 'he said' or 'she said' after every line. But I try to italicize the person on the other end of a phone call. I think the conversations in this chapter are easy to follow...

Enjoy!

* * *

CHAPTER 2

Shawn was getting worried. It was already 8:30 and Carlton had not turned up yet. After 10 minutes, Shawn had tried texting and calling Carlton but got no response. Before the whole "not a psychic" fiasco, Shawn would have called the station to see if Carlton was still there. But now, people were mad at him. Well, not everyone. Juliet still liked him. She was hurt, just like everyone else, but she told him that they could still be friends, only if he was honest with her. And he agreed because, right now, he needed all the friends that he could keep.

After getting Carlton's voicemail again, Shawn sighed as he dialed Juliet. It was answered within three rings, _"Hey Shawn! What's up?"_

"Oh, hey Jules!" Shawn froze. She did not know that he and Carlton were dating. Had been dating. He was not sure where they stood on that. How could he casually ask her where Carlton was without revealing anything?

_"Um, Shawn? Are you still there?"_

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. Brain fart. So, how was work?"

_"You were there earlier, you must have noticed how slow things were."_

"So, no new cases showed up? You guys didn't have to stay late or anything?"

_"No. I actually left on time today. The first time all month."_

"Oh, okay. Well, I guess I should let you enjoy your night, then."

_"Shawn, wait! What is this all about? Why do you care when I got off work?"_

"It's not important."

_"Yeah it is. Shawn, please tell me! I just want to help!"_

Shawn sighed as he collapsed on the couch. "It's not exactly something I should explain over the phone."

_"Please! You promised that you would be honest with me!"_

"Okay, okay. But not tonight since I've got too much to do. Maybe when I get back."

_"You're going somewhere?"_

"Oh, you don't know about Dublin?"

_"No, what's happening in Dublin?"_

"Again, something I shouldn't explain over the phone. I'll only be gone a day. How about I come over Friday night, after you get off work?"

_"Oh, that won't work. I've got a date."_

"A date, really?" Shawn smiled, excited over the distraction.

_"Yeah. It's no big deal. Someone I met at the pet store. I've seen him a few times and he asked me out on a date last month."_

"And you went without telling me?!"

_"No, I had said no. But we crossed paths again last weekend and when he asked, I said yes."_

"Oh wow. Do you need a wingman? I can double date with you."

_"Um, no thanks Shawn. You'll probably be a bit too eccentric for him. Gus or Carlton would probably be more his speed. At least for the first date."_

"More his speed? I thought you were the one going out with him, not setting him up with someone else!"

_"What? Oh! Oh no! No no no no! Oh, I am so embarrassed!"_

"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. Except maybe Gus. Just to freak him out." Shawn laughed. Hearing a car pull up outside, Shawn went over to the window and saw Carlton nervously get out of his car. Smiling, Shawn said, "Listen Jules, I've got to go. I'll tease you more on Friday after your date!"

_"What?! Shawn!"_

"Night!"

_"*sigh* Good night Shawn."_

Shawn grinned as he hung up. Carlton was currently standing at the front door, deciding whether to knock. Taking away his choice, Shawn opened the door. "Hey Lassie!"

"Spencer." Carlton nodded, looking uneasy.

"You're late."

"Obviously."

"You didn't answer any of my calls or texts."

Frowning, Carlton patted his pockets and looked towards his car. "I…guess I left it at home. I took a nap and overslept. In my haste, I must have forgotten it. Sorry."

Now it was Shawn's turn to frown. This was so unlike Carlton. He rarely took naps and never forgot things. "Are you okay?"

Sighing, Carlton rubbed his face. "I'm fine. Can I come in?"

"Oh, yeah. Sure." Shawn stepped back and let him in. "Would you like something to drink?"

"No, I'm fine." Carlton mumbled.

Another red flag went up. Carlton never declined a drink, unless he already had quite a few, in which case Shawn would not even bother to offer.

"What did you want to talk about?" Carlton asked as he sat on the couch.

Shawn shrugged as he sat next to him. "Since our fight the other night, we haven't talked. We have a good thing going and I don't want to see it end, at least not like that."

Carlton looked down before saying, "I don't know if I can trust you."

"I said I was sorry, Lassie! I meant to tell you so many times but I kept freaking out. You kept showing me how much you loved me and I didn't want to see the anger in your eyes when you found out."

"I would have gotten over it; we could have worked it out, eventually."

Shawn placed a hand on Carlton's knee. "I hear a but coming…"

"But you didn't trust me enough to tell me. Instead, I found out by accident, in front of the whole SBPD. And you just let it slip. Now I'm afraid of what would happen if, instead of your not-a-psychic secret, it had been about us. What if you had accidentally outed us? I know you said you weren't thinking, but our relationship being known will have serious repercussions for the both of us. And I'm not sure I can stand it if that happens."

Shawn sat in stunned silence for a few seconds before choking out, "Are, are you breaking up with me?!"

Still staring at the floor, Carlton nodded. "I think it would be for the best."

"The best for whom? Because it looks like it would only benefit your career, screw what either of us think or feel!" Shawn jumped off the couch and started to pace. "I knew you would do this! Maybe I am a little psychic after all." He laughed shakily.

"Shawn, don't."

"Don't what? You're breaking up with me! Two months after our one-year anniversary. After we both confessed our love for each other. After you asked me to move in with you and I said I would think about it! God, I guess I was right on that account too, or else I would be homeless right now."

"Shawn…"

"NO! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!" Shawn yelled before yanking Carlton up off his couch. "Get out!"

"Shawn…"

"NO! I'm going to be in Dublin for six months, I might as well get used to not seeing you."

"You're going to Dublin?" Carlton asked as he stopped at the door.

"Oh, the chief didn't tell you?"

"No, what's in Dublin?"

Shawn laughed. "You and my dad get your wish. I'm gonna become a cop. That's my punishment. Successfully complete basic academy training."

"Your punishment is to learn how to properly put other people behind bars?" Carlton asked, sounding confused.

"Yeah. Now get out! I have a plane to catch in the morning." Shawn slammed the door and locked it before sliding down it. He heard Carlton hesitate before slowly walking away. A sob escaped Shawn at the thought that Carlton was not trying to get him back; and soon, Shawn was a total mess.

So absorbed in himself, Shawn did not notice Carlton run for the bushes to throw up. He did not see him pause to look back at his door or hear him whisper, "I'm sorry," before finally getting in his car and driving off.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Shawn was tired. He had left for the airport at 7am and just entered his apartment a little after 11pm. He collapsed on his couch and pulled out his phone. He had a few missed calls and a dozen text messages from Gus. Shawn had left a short message for him this morning, saying that he would be on a super secret mission and would be out of contact all day. But if he wanted to hang out, Gus could buy him breakfast tomorrow. Gus, just like Shawn, had been waiting impatiently for the Chief's verdict. Shawn was so busy looking through the study guide before Carlton was due to come over and then a complete mess after he left, that Shawn simply forgot to call Gus.

When his phone started ringing, Shawn quickly picked up. "Allo, allo! And how is my favorite Gusie-wusie this evening?"

_"Cut the crap Shawn and tell me what happened! What did the chief say? Are you going to jail? Am I going with you?! And what was with that message you left me this morning?! WHY THE HELL HAVEN'T YOU BEEN ANSWERING YOUR PHONE?!"_

Shawn rolled his eyes, "Calm down Gus. Everything is fine. Or at least, it will be. Look, why don't we have breakfast tomorrow and I can tell you all about it."

_"Are you sure everything is fine?"_

"Yes. I am not going to jail. You are not going to be brought up on charges and you don't have to worry about me hurting Lassie anymore."

_"Oh. Well that's great!"_ Gus paused. _"Wait, what was that about Lassiter?"_

Shawn sighed. "Can we talk about it tomorrow? I've been up since 6 and would really like some sleep."

_"Okay Shawn. I'll pick you up at 8."_

"Thanks buddy. Night."

_"Good Night Shawn."_

Shawn hung up and just stared at the phone. He still could not believe that he and Carlton were over. They had been together so long that after the fourth month, Shawn stopped worrying about a quick break up and, around the one-year mark, actually thought they were meant to be together. Apparently not.

Shawn dialed Carlton's number and waited as it rang. He hoped Carlton would be either too tired to answer or would see Shawn's name on the caller ID and not pick up. Luckily, he got his wish and he soon heard the voice mail, _"Hello. You have reached Head Detective Carlton Lassiter. I am currently unavailable at the moment; but if you leave your name and number, I will get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you."_

Shawn took a deep breath as he heard the beep. "Hey, Lassie. It, it's Shawn, in case you didn't know that already. I just… I wanted to hear your voice, I guess. I don't like how we left things. I've been in love with you, Lassie, for years. I can't believe that it's over. *sigh* Look, I leave for Dublin in a week and I hope that we can get back to being friends, at the very least friendemies. I don't want to lose you completely Lassie, because we were good for each other, are good for each other. You anchor me to reality and I make you step out of your comfort zone. Just, just give me a call, okay? Even if it's just to tell me to leave you alone. Please Carlton! Well, I better go before your voice mail cuts me off. I am so so sorry. I lov…" *beep* Shawn silently cursed as he was cut off. Sighing, he tossed his phone aside before going to bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey!

It's such a long wait when I actually have the chapters completed. Anyways, a couple quick timeline notes: The story started on a Wednesday in early March and so we are now on the weekened. Shawn and Carlton's anniversary is New Years Day. I think I have Carlton's birthday as late March (since he's an Aries) and Shawn's as mid to late February.

Enjoy!

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CHAPTER 4

Saturday morning found Shawn in the Psych office, alone. He was supposed to be cleaning since they were closing down for 6 months. Shawn was not planning to join the police force after the academy, so he would need an office for his private investigation. Since their place on the beach was in a prime location, Shawn decided that it would just be easier to renew the lease in 3 months instead of ending it early and finding a new place later. Most of the valuables will be stored in Gus's apartment, with some going to his dad's house. Shawn also had to go through his stuff from his apartment since he would not need two different apartments. He was just glad that he had paid the lease on the psych office early so that all his extra money could go to his San Francisco apartment. He already acquired one less than 30 minutes from the academy and had a phone interview lined up for a part-time job at the local YMCA. He found out that his dad contributed a lot of money to keep him out of jail, seeing as the academy program was about 6,000 dollars. He would have to ask his dad where all that money came from, preferably after his dad had more time to calm down.

With a sigh, Shawn turned up the music and set to work sorting out his desk drawers. Most of the toys could stay in there; he was just making sure nothing unwanted was mixed in. So far, he had found a half-eaten candy bar, Combos, a can of pineapple chunks, and a few broken pencils.

There was also one of Carlton's ties. Shawn had taken it from him on their third official date, saying that Carlton could get it back if he called Shawn by his first name the whole night. Carlton lasted about an hour before yelling at Shawn for taping a sign that said "Detective Dipstick" to his back. They ended up coming back to the office to have sex. The tie must have accidentally been thrown into the drawer after they had a play fight with all of the balls they could find.

Shawn rubbed the tie as he remembered Carlton looking for it a few days later when he had to do laundry. Shawn had replied that he did not get it back because he lost the challenge. They ended up having their first big fight as a couple and did not speak to each other outside of work for a week; until a gunman that had a few screws loose clipped Carlton.

"AHHHHH!" Shawn jumped and screamed when someone tapped him on the shoulder.

"SHAWN!" Juliet yelled as she turned his chair around to face her.

Shawn sighed and quickly turned off the music. "Wow, Jules. You sure know how to scare someone. Have you ever heard of knocking?"

Juliet crossed her arms. "I did. I also called out your name several times but I guess you couldn't hear me over the music."

"Sorry, I got lost in thought." Shawn looked down at the tie still clutched in his hand.

Juliet frowned when she saw it. "Isn't that Carlton's? At least I think it's his, I haven't seen him wear it in over a year. Why do you have it?"

"Oh, well…um, h-he-he left it here one day and I… guess it got lost or something. I was just cleaning up and found it lying around."

"Okay. But that doesn't explain why you're holding it so…possessively."

"What?!" Shawn quickly tossed the tie onto the desk. "*Tsk* I was not."

"You so were. And by the way you are over enunciating your words; I can tell that you're lying."

"Damn, I fought how smart you are." He mumbled

"Ignoring that comment for now, are you going to tell me or do I have to ask Carlton? Although he's been avoiding me and won't answer any of my calls."

Shawn perked up at that. "Why have you been calling him? Haven't you been working with him all week?"

"No, the chief sent him home on Wednesday, not long after you left, and she told him not to come back until Monday. He came in for about an hour on Thursday to see the chief but didn't talk to anyone else. He looked shaken. I even swung by his house on my way here but he wasn't home."

Now Shawn was concerned. "He was looking sick on Wednesday. Maybe he got a weird virus. Unless he's in the hospital."

"Shawn, I doubt he's in the hospital." Juliet tired to reassure him but Shawn was already whipping out his phone and dialing Carlton.

After a few seconds, Shawn cursed, "Dammit, he's not answering."

"I told you that he wasn't answering. Maybe he can't use his phone right now."

Shawn took a deep breath as he left a message. "Hey Lassie! It's Shawn. I heard that you haven't been to work in a few days and haven't been answering when Jules calls. So, can you please let us know that you're still alive, safe and sound somewhere? Thanks. I'll call back in an hour."

Shawn sighed as he closed his phone. "Maybe I should call his doctor."

"You know who his doctor is? I don't even know that." She looked at him carefully as she crossed her arms. "How do you know? And don't give me the psychic act."

"Well…the truth is kind of hard to explain."

"As long as you tell me the truth, I'll believe you." Juliet leaned against his desk.

Shawn leaned back in his chair and looked over Juliet before saying. "Okay…Lassie and I, well…we were in a relationship."

Juliet was shocked, "Are, are you serious? You guys are dating?"

"Were dating, yeah."

"Were? What happened?"

Shawn laughed as he looked back at the tie. "Last week happened. He said that if I can let a secret that I had been keeping for over 5 years slip, then it wouldn't be long before I let out another one." He sighed.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you, um…did you love him?" He was quiet as he looked back at Juliet, who fidgeted. "I know it's none of my business, but I did notice a difference in the two of you over the past few months or so. Carlton is definitely more tolerable of you now."

Shawn nodded, "Yeah. I loved him, still do."

"How long had you been dating? If you don't mind me asking."

"Over a year. We had our one-year anniversary a couple months ago. I really thought he was it, you know? The one person that I was meant to spend the rest of my life with. Sure, we are so different at times, but we're good together. I just wish that he would talk to me."

"Just give him some time. You know Carlton; he doesn't put himself out there too often, so he's probably hurting."

"Yeah." Shawn sighed. "So, why did you come…" Shawn stopped as he heard his ring tone for Carlton. He quickly grabbed the phone and answered, "Lassie! About time! I was starting to worry that something might have happened!"

There was silence on the other end.

"Lassie? Are you there?"

_"Yeah. I'm here."_

"Are you okay? Where are you?"

_"I'm fine. Lu-Lu is in town for the weekend so we're out running errands and… stuff."_

"And stuff? Lassie, are you okay? Jules says that she hasn't seen you since Thursday."

There was a long pause before Carlton replied,_ "I haven't been feeling well lately and have just been taking it slow. You can tell her that I'll be back Monday."_

"Taking it slow? Okay, who are you and what have you done with the real Carlton Lassiter? The Lassie I know goes to work no matter how unwell he feels. Hell, you tried to go back the day after you got shot!"

_"I was only clipped."_

"Either way, you were shot and the doctor suggested at least 3 days rest, preferably 5."

_"Yeah, well, this time is different."_

"Why? Lassie, you're starting to scare me." Shawn shared a look with Juliet.

There was whispering on the other end for a few seconds before a new voice spoke, _"Hey Shawn, it's Lauren."_

"Hey Laur! Lassie never said that you were coming to visit."

_"Well, it was a spur of the moment thing; I just got in this morning. I had a few days off and thought that I would surprise my brother a few weeks early for his birthday."_

"Aww, why didn't you call me?! You know I make things 20 times more exciting."

_"That's sweet, but I really just wanted some quiet, sibling time."_

"If you say so. How long are you in town? Will I be able to see you?"

There was some hesitation before Lauren said, _"I'm not sure how long I'll be in town, at least the weekend, maybe more. I'll be sure to call you before I leave."_

"Okay, cool! But seriously, what's wrong with Lassie? I'm getting really worried. Does he have the plague? *gasp* Is he dying? Is that why he's not at work?!"

Lauren laughed. _"No, he's not dying. Carlton is glaring at me right now, so I can't give you anymore info."_

"Understandable. Lassie's glare can be a fierce thing to encounter, especially if you've done something wrong. So, can I talk to Lassie again?"

_"Sure."_

"Thanks, Laur!" Shawn smiled at Juliet. "According to Lauren, Lassie is not dying."

"Then what's wrong?" Juliet asked.

"I don't know." He shrugged.

Carlton sighed into the phone. _"Can we please end this?"_

"You already ended this a few days ago. I'm just trying to figure out what's wrong with you."

_"NOTHING'S WRONG!"_ Carlton snapped.

Shawn pulled the phone away from his ear slightly. "Lassie, I know you! Something is bothering you! I just want to help."

_"Why? So you can tell the whole department about this?! I wouldn't be surprised if by Monday morning, everyone knows that we were dating!_" Carlton continued angrily.

"Dude, I won't tell anyone! Do you really think so little of me?!"

_"What about O'Hara? You said that you two were talking. Is she there now? She must be suspecting something or already figured it out! She's the best detective the department has!"_

Shawn looked at Juliet guiltily as she blushed, having heard what Carlton said from his yelling. "Yeah, she knows."

_"Maybe it's a good thing that you're leaving since it makes it easier for me to tell you not to talk to me again."_

"Lassie?"

_"No! I don't need you messing up my life anymore than you already have! It's best for us to just go our separate ways. Goodbye Shawn."_

"Lassie!" Shawn exclaimed, only to get a dial tone. He sat stunned, staring at his phone. "I can't believe he just said that."

"I'm sorry, Shawn." Juliet rubbed his shoulder reassuringly. "I didn't mean to make things worse."

"No, Jules. It's all me. I screw everything up. He's right. We need to go our separate ways."

"If you still love him, you need to fight harder."

Shawn shook his head as he picked the tie up. "He needs time to cool down. Maybe after I complete the academy, we can try to build our friendship back up. I don't want to lose him completely, so I'll settle for being friendemies."

"That's awfully mature of you."

"Yeah, well, we all got to grow up sometime." Shawn threw the tie into the desk drawer. "How about smoothies? They have a new pineapple chocolate flavor that I want to try."

Juliet smiled sadly. "Okay. Are you paying or am I?"

"Well, I only have $10 on me and need that to buy gas tomorrow. So…" Shawn shrugged as he stood up.

Juliet laughed, "Alright, fine. But you so owe me!"


	5. Chapter 5

To all my fellow Americans, HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

Anyways, there's a lot of time jumps in the next several chapters. I was going to do a double chapter update, put decided to just combined these two chapters.

Enjoy!

* * *

CHAPTER 5

*1 week later*

Shawn was getting anxious. He was supposed to leave for Dublin in a couple hours but he had not talked to Carlton in a week. Carlton would not return his phone calls and the chief gave orders that Shawn was not allowed in the station unless it was an emergency. He could not even persuade Buzz to sneak him in. So here Shawn sat, on Carlton's car as he waited for Juliet to bring Carlton out for lunch. Apparently, Carlton had been on desk duty all week since he still was not feeling well. Juliet and Shawn were still worried about Carlton; but since he had returned to work, even on light duties, that meant that he had to have been feeling slightly better.

Shawn's phone buzzed and he quickly checked it. Juliet said that they were heading outside now. Shawn took a deep breath as he slid off Carlton's car and casually leaned against the driver's door. Not even a minute later, Shawn heard them approaching.

Before they turned the corner, Shawn heard Juliet make an excuse about forgetting her purse and would be right back. Grumbling under his breath, Carlton continued around the corner, but froze when he saw Shawn.

Shawn smiled slightly. "Hey Lassie."

"Spencer, get off my car."

"That's a start. At least you're talking to me again."

Carlton crossed his arms and glared at him. "What do you want?"

"I want to talk! You've been avoiding me all week!"

"I thought I made my point clear last weekend."

"I don't believe you." Shawn took a step forward and gently grabbed Carlton's hand. "Can we please talk? Like grown-ups."

Carlton snorted as he snatched his hand away. "You're not a grown-up."

"I can be, when the situation calls for it."

"That's the difference between you and me. I like acting like an adult all the time, not just when I have to. I want people to respect me and you don't."

"Lassie! I do respect you!"

"Then show me. Leave me alone for the next few months. I need time to think and you need time to grow-up. You're 34 years old; you need to figure out what you want. Are you ever going to settle down, get married…have kids."

Shawn frowned, "I don't know."

"Well, I do. And I don't want to waste my time with someone who doesn't know. I'll be 42 next week. I can't wait forever."

"Lassie! Please!"

"I have work to do." Carlton turned around and went back inside, ignoring Juliet as she came around the corner.

She caught up with Shawn as he was getting on his motorcycle. "Shawn! What happened?"

"He said that I need to figure out if I want to settle down and that he won't wait forever." Shawn said sadly.

"Well, do you?"

Shawn shrugged as he put his helmet on. "I don't know. Ask me again in a year."

"Do you think Carlton will wait that long?"

"I hope so. *sigh* I'll see you in a month."

"Okay, you better keep in touch!"

"I'll try."

"Good Luck!" Juliet kissed him on the cheek before stepping back.

"Thanks!" Shawn smiled as he revved the engine and took off.

* * *

*3 days later*

"Hey Jules! What a surprise!" Shawn exclaimed happily into the phone.

_"Hi Shawn."_ Juliet sighed.

"What's up with my favorite junior detective? Or do you just miss me too much?"

_"Well, something's come up. I'm no longer junior detective."_

"WHAT?! Did the Chief fire you? Because that is so not cool!"

_"No, quite the opposite. I've been promoted. To Head Detective."_

Shawn sat stunned. "Head Detective? But, but what about Lassie?!"

_"He's gone. Karen said that he transferred this weekend."_

"And he didn't say anything? To anybody?!"

_"No, I had no idea. When I walked into the station this morning, I noticed that his desk was cleaned out and that's when Karen called me into her office. She wouldn't tell me why he left, but that I was being promoted temporarily. I asked if she knew where he went and she does, but encouraged me not to seek him out, to respect his wishes."_

"Oh my sweet pineapple, this is all my fault." Shawn whispered.

_"No, Shawn. Don't blame yourself."_

"Yes it is! I drove him away! I have to talk to him!"

_"His phone has been disconnected and his house is empty."_

"What?!"

_"But he left me a letter. I found it under my door when I got home. It says,_ Dear Juliet. I'm sorry that you had to find out this way, but I thought a quick, quiet exit was the best. Congratulations on the promotion; even though I know you are not thrilled with how it happened. I just need time away and to think. The chief is giving me a year, after which I need to decide if I'm coming back or not. Please try not to find me, I promised the chief that I would stay in touch with her. You can let Shawn know that I left but please don't let him try to find me either. He needs to complete his agreement with the department. I don't want him to go to jail because of me. He doesn't belong there, he's not a criminal. Again, I'm sorry about all this. I still have your number if I need you. Be safe and good luck. Carlton."

They were both silent for a few seconds before Shawn whispered, "I can't believe I drove him away; that he gave up his dream job because of something stupid I did."

_"Please don't blame yourself, Shawn. No one blames you. Carlton still cares about you."_

"He said that I'm not a criminal. Ha. I never thought he would say that. Or write it."

_"Promise me that you're not going to look for him."_

"Jules…."

_"Please Shawn! I don't want you to end up in jail! If he's not back in a year's time, I'll help you look for him, even if it means my job."_

"Don't risk your job over me."

_"You guys are my friends and I want to see my friends happy. Now please promise me, Shawn!"_

Shawn took a deep breath. "Okay. I promise not to risk landing in jail while looking for Carlton."

_"Shawn!"_

"That's the best I can do, Jules."

Juliet sighed, _"Alright. Thank you."_

"I should go; I have some books I need to read."

_"Okay. Good night Shawn."_

"Night, Jules."

* * *

*5 months later*

"Hey Gus! How's it going?"

_"It's going fine. What's up? Are you done with classes yet?"_

"Nah, I still got about 3 more weeks. Graduation is in a month and then I will finally be home!"

_"Good! Maybe you can get your motorcycle fixed then."_

"I still can't believe that my dad won't loan me the money to fix it! It's been 2 weeks and I've had to either walk or take the bus everywhere! I'm tempted to get a bicycle! A bicycle, Gus! And you know how I feel about those!"

_"I don't know why you dislike them. They're basically motorcycles without a motor."_

"Yeah, but bicycles are actual exercise. You get a workout and then end up all gross and sweaty and you know I can't do that to my hair! Besides, I get enough exercise with all the physical training we have to do each week."

Gus laughed. _"Well, it's just one more month."_

"Are you sure you can't loan me money to fix my bike? I'll pay you back as soon as I can!"

_"Shawn! You said that they're estimating it will take over $4000 to fix your bike! I don't have that kind of cash lying around, especially with Psych out of commission. It might be easier just to buy a new one for that price."_

"Dude! Do you even know how much new motorcycles cost?! A good one is about 10k or more. Besides, my Norton and I have a history. I've had it since I was 17. That's half my life! I'm not giving it up so easily!"

_"Whatever. How are you even going to get it back to Santa Barbara?"_

"My dad is supposed to come to graduation, so I'll just throw it in the back of his truck."

_"Are you really going to trust him to bring it back without any more damage?"_

"He will if he doesn't want me living with him for the next year or two until I can fix it."

_"Fair enough."_

"So, um…Have you heard anything about Lassie recently?"

_"*sigh* You know I would tell you if I have."_

"I know. What about Jules?"

_"She hasn't either. Juliet even complained to the chief; but Vick reassured Juliet that Carlton was fine and that she's actually heard from him."_

"What?! He's talking to Chief Vick and no one else?! So not fair."

_"Well, she is the Chief and has a lot of connections. She probably even helped him with his transfer."_

"Yeah, that part bothered me too. He transferred but Jules is only temporarily head detective. Almost like the Chief is expecting him to come back."

_"Maybe he will."_

"Yeah. *sigh* Okay, I'll let you go. I have some homework I need to do."

_"You have homework? And you're actually doing it?!"_

"Yeah. It's a class all about police procedures and various laws. It's all very boring and repetitive but homework counts for like 60% of the grade, the other 50% is class participation."

_"You mean 40%."_

"I've heard it both ways."

Gus laughed. _"Okay. I'll talk to ya later."_

"Bye!"


	6. Chapter 6

YAY Academy Graduation Time! I'm sorry to anyone hoping to get chapters of Shawn's hijinks at the academy, but that's not the main point of the story!

So, if my math is right, it has been about 6 months since the events in chapter one which puts us at the middle of September, if anyone cares...

Enjoy!

* * *

CHAPTER 6

Gus, Juliet, Henry, and Karen sat in the middle of the auditorium as they waited for the Graduation ceremony to begin. Gus sighed as he flipped through the program. "I can't believe that Shawn didn't want to meet early. We haven't seen him in 2 months and it would be the perfect excuse for him to mooch a lunch off of someone."

Juliet laughed, "I know. Maybe he wants to surprise us?"

"That's what I'm afraid of." Henry groaned. "Knowing Shawn, he's been planning a prank since he started at the academy. I wish that he would just take something serious for once."

"Maybe he is taking it seriously." Juliet shrugged.

"Have you met my son? He's been away from everyone for so long; he's bound to have thought up something."

Karen laughed, "I remember when he was 10 or 11 and had just come back from summer camp. He was so wound up and…" She paused as her phone went off. Checking the caller ID, she said, "Excuse me, I need to take this." She stood and quickly made for an exit as she answered, "This is Karen."

Juliet watched her go and said, "I hope she's not getting called back, because then I would probably have to leave with her."

"I'm sure that's not going to happen. It almost seemed like she was expecting the call."

"Maybe. She has been taking a lot of calls in the past week, always stepping out of the room and arguing with the person." Juliet said as she bit her lip.

"I hope she's not having problems with her husband."

Henry snorted, "Karen and Steven are the happiest couple I know. They've been through a lot already, there's no way that they would split now."

"Weren't you and Mrs. Spencer together 20 years when you two split?" Gus asked nervously.

"That was different." Henry said with finality.

At that moment, someone came up on stage and walked up to the microphone. "We will be starting in about 10 minutes, so please find your seats and silence all cell phones. Photos and video recording is allowed, just please don't stand up or block anyone else's view. Thank you."

Juliet smiled, "I'll go find Chief Vick and let her know."

"Okay."

Juliet spotted Karen in the courtyard with her back to her. Walking over, Juliet was able to hear what she was saying. "I understand that it hurts…no, I'm not going to tell him that!…You better watch your tone, detective!"

"Chief Vick?" Juliet asked as she got closer. "Is everything okay?"

"Hang on." Karen lowered the phone to her chest as she answered Juliet, "Yes, everything is fine. Is there something that you needed?"

"Oh, um… the ceremony is about to start."

"Thank you, I'll be right in."

"Okay." Juliet smiled hesitantly and walked back inside.

Karen turned her back to Juliet as she resumed her phone call. "Just go to the hospital and they'll give you some drugs…haha, you're not going to die…Trust me…I need to go…."

Juliet frowned as walked back to her seat and tried to figure out what the conversation was about.

Karen rejoined the group as the lights were dimmed

"Is everything alright, Karen?" Henry asked.

"Yes, Henry. Just a friend needing help. They'll be fine."

"Okay."

* * *

"Do you see Shawn?" Gus asked as he strained his neck to get a good look at everyone.

Juliet shook her head. "No, that's weird."

"Is he skipping? Please don't tell me this is going to be a repeat of high school graduation." Henry groaned.

"Wait! There he is!" Juliet exclaimed.

"Where?!" Gus asked as he looked where Juliet was pointing.

"2nd row, 3rd from the left."

"He cut his hair?! Omg, he must be sick!"

"I don't think his hair has ever been that short!"

"I think he had a full head of hair when he was born." Henry said.

Karen laughed, "Oh, Henry. I'm sure it's not that bad."

* * *

"Congratulations, cadets. You are now officers!" The cadets turned to the audience and saluted before processioning off the stage. As the audience applauded, "We are the Champions" started to play. Most people laughed while Henry glared at Shawn. Shawn smiled and shrugged.

* * *

"Shawn! SHAWN!" Gus shouted as they made their way through the crowd.

"Gus! Jules! I'm so glad to see you guys!" Shawn shouted as he joined them.

Juliet got to him first and hugged him. "Congrats, Shawn!"

"Thanks Jules! Where's my dad and Chief Vick?"

Gus hugged Shawn next. "He said he needed to calm down and was going to meet us for dinner in an hour. Vick needed to make a phone call and went with him."

"Okay."

"So, how did you pull it off anyways?" Gus smiled as he elbowed Shawn.

"I don't know to what you are referring it." Shawn said with a wink.

Gus laughed, "Okay, Shawn. So, do we need to stick around or anything?"

"Nope, I'm free to go! I was hoping to get the stuff from my apartment and my motorcycle loaded onto my dad's truck before dinner, but I guess it could wait."

Juliet shook her head, "Okay, I'm sorry, but I must ask: Why did you shave your head?!"

Shawn smirked as he took off his hat.

Gus and Juliet laughed. "Oh my god, you look ridiculous!" "Why on earth would you do that?!"

"Well, it's kind of a requirement and I put it off as long as I could. I thought about getting a mullet wig to freak my dad out, but I couldn't find a good one online."

Juliet rubbed his hair. "It feels nice, kind of fuzzy."

"Thanks, but I can't wait until it grows out. It should only take a month, right?"

"Something like that." Juliet smiled.

"Seriously, Gus, how long will it take?" Shawn asked.

"Well, it depends on the person…"

"Gus?"

"And how long you want it to grow.…"

"Gus!"

"To get back to your usual length, probably half a year."

"What?!" Shawn exclaimed. "I wouldn't have shaved it if I had known it would take that long!"

"Calm down, dude." Gus whispered as he noticed people staring.

"My poor hair." Shawn whined.

Juliet laughed, "You can always get a wig."

Shawn put his hat back on and pouted.


	7. Chapter 7

Hey all!

Another time skip/jump/leap/whatever! As I said before, the academy and Shawn's punishment is not the focus of this story; the relationship between Shawn and Lassie is. So, now we're getting to the good parts! I ended up combining chapters again since I realized how short 1,000 words is to read 2x a week. At this rate, I should be able to finish posting by the time I leave on "vacation" next Saturday. Yay!

So, note: Shawn and Gus still have the Psych office, but it is no longer called Psych. The name's not really important right now and I'm really bad at naming stuff; so it doesn't have a name. If someone wants to name it for me, that would be awesome! Just leave it in a review and you might see it (and your penname if you so choose) in the next story!

Enjoy!

* * *

CHAPTER 7

*5 ½ months later*

Gus had finished his route by noon and decided to head to their private-eye office. He was supposed to meet Shawn in a couple hours before heading to Henry's house for Shawn's birthday dinner. He figured he could get some paperwork done since Shawn had a meeting with the chief. Entering the office, Gus hung his coat up and walked into the dark inner room. Shawn had closed the blinds last night for his movie night and he had a habit of keeping them closed when they were not officially open. While they wouldn't necessarily turn down anyone who walked in, Shawn just preferred the peace and quiet these days. Gus set his briefcase down and opened the blinds, only bumping into one chair. When he turned around to go sit at his desk, he jumped when he saw Shawn sitting in his chair.

"Geeze Shawn! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!"

Shawn blinked and looked around the room before spotting Gus. "Oh. Hey Gus. When did you get here?"

"Just now." Gus frowned. "Why are you sitting in the dark? Are you trying to kill your eyes?"

"*Psh* Please! If all of our late night, no light, movie nights hasn't made me wear glasses by now, I doubt this will."

Gus shook his head. "What are you doing here, anyways? I thought that you had to see the chief?"

"The mayor wanted a meeting with her so she asked if we could talk tomorrow. I didn't mind since I already know what she's gonna discuss."

"So then how long have you been sitting here?"

Shawn shrugged. "I don't know. The chief called shortly after you dropped me off this morning and then I got the mail. I don't think I've moved since."

"So 4 hours? You haven't moved in 4 hours?!"

"Huh, I guess so." Shawn got up and stretched, hearing various joints pop. "And apparently my body doesn't approve. You want some pineapple juice?"

Gus shook his head. "No thanks. I don't understand how you can stand drinking pure pineapple juice several times a day."

"What can I say, it's my addiction." Shawn opened the fridge.

"Just don't drink directly from the bottle!" Gus scolded as he grabbed the mail off Shawn's desk.

"Why? You just said that you didn't want any."

"I said that I don't want any right now." Gus frowned as he looked at the opened letter on top of the pile. "What's this?"

"Mine!" Shawn yelled as he raced across the room to snatch it from Gus but Gus dodged him.

"A letter from Lassiter's sister? So you found him?"

"Yes." Shawn finally managed to grab the letter and held it to his chest. "Not that it's any of your business!"

"It is my business!" Gus replied as he tried to grab the letter again. "You've been moping around for a year! You're my best friend and I want to kill the guy that broke your heart when you were already down in the dumps!"

Shawn kept his eyes downcast as he stayed out of Gus' reach. "It wasn't entirely his fault. If I had been more truthful or careful, he never would have left."

"I'm not playing the 'what if' game again!" Gus sighed as he took a step back. "What does the letter say?"

Shawn slowly handed the letter to Gus and recited what he had committed to memory hours ago. "Hey Shawn. I'm so excited to hear from you! I've tried countless times to contact you but Carlton always prevented me, saying that if you really cared, you would find him. Not that he's made it easy! He even changed his last name to make it harder to find him! But I knew you would do it. Anyways, we have some big news, but it's better to say in person. You should come to Texas and surprise Carlton, I'm sure he'll enjoy it. Just give me a call either before you leave or when you get here. I can't wait to see you again! Hugs and Kisses, Lauren."

Gus set the paper down and looked at Shawn. "So, when are you leaving?"

Shawn frowned at Gus, "Wait, aren't you supposed to tell me not to rush into things and that this could be a very bad idea? That I could totally mess things up with the department when I only have a couple weeks left on my parole."

"You're not on parole."

"Then what is it? An internship?"

"It's a business agreement so the department doesn't take legal actions against you and have you thrown in jail!"

"Like parole."

Gus rolled his eyes. "Anyways, I'm pretty sure that I can convince the chief to let you go now and then finish your time when you get back. In the meantime, you should head to your apartment, take a shower, and pack some clothes."

Shawn smiled, "Really?"

"Yeah. I just want you to be happy. And if seeing Lassiter will make you happy, even if there is a slight chance of him shooting you, then I'm behind you 100%"

"I'm sorry Gus, but the only person that I want behind me is Lassie. And on top, and under, and in…"

Gus quickly covered Shawn's mouth. "Stop! Before I change my mind!" Shawn licked his hand. "Yuck!"

Shawn laughed as Gus let go; one of the few laughs Gus had heard in over a year. "Sorry, but I gotta get my shots in before I leave for a week or more."

"Just go! I'll call the chief right now."

"Thanks man!" Shawn fist bumped Gus before running out the door.

"Happy Birthday." Gus smiled as he watched Shawn go. Once he heard Shawn's motorcycle leave the parking lot, he pulled out his phone and called the chief.

"Vick speaking."

"Hello Chief Vick. It's um, it's Burton Guster Ma'am."

"I have caller ID, Mr. Guster; and don't call me Ma'am."

"Yes, sorry." Gus pulled his tie loose.

"May I help you? I just got out of a meeting with the Mayor and am not in the mood for Shawn's antics today."

"I am calling about Shawn, but it's not necessarily bad."

Karen sighed, "I'm listening."

"Well, Shawn received a letter from Lassiter's sister telling him where Lassiter is and Shawn is hoping to leave today to go see him."

There was a slight pause before she replied, "I'm not sure that is a good idea."

"Why not?!" Gus exclaimed.

"For one, he still has two weeks left on his agreement and I would rather not have him put in jail when he is so close."

"But Chief! You don't understand!"

"I do understand, and know a lot more than people think I do."

"Shawn has been miserable for the past year and he almost seemed like his old self today when he heard back from Lauren!"

Gus heard Karen sigh and he held his breath as he waited. "Very well. Since he's been doing a good job, I guess I can let him go."

"Thank you chief! This means a lot to both of us."

"I just hope I don't end up regretting it. I can't afford to lose Mr. Spencer because Carlton decided to shoot him."

"I don't think that will happen."

"Why? Because they were dating?"

Gus sputtered slightly. "H-how did you know?"

"I know a lot. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some paperwork I need to file in order to officially release Mr. Spencer from his agreement."

"Of course. Thank you Chief."

"My pleasure. Good day Mr. Guster."

Gus lowered his phone and sat stunned in his chair. "The Chief knew? Huh." Shaking his head, he quickly sent a text to Shawn, saying that he was good to go.

* * *

As Shawn sped down the highway, he couldn't help but reflect upon that dreadful week almost a year ago when everything seemed to fall apart. He let his secret slip, most of the SBPD shunned him, the chief laid down his punishment, and Carlton broke up with him. They had been secretly dating for over a year before he let his secret slip and Shawn should have told him the truth once they became serious. And afterwards, the few times they talked weren't very pleasant. They mostly consisted of fights and the last time Shawn saw him, Carlton seemed tired and didn't want to talk at all. Carlton was hurting and Shawn was to blame. Carlton breaking up with him still hurt even a year later.

Shawn shook himself out of his musings as he neared his exit. He had worked at a motel near Tuscan, Arizona and the owner said if he was ever passing through and needed a place to stay, he wouldn't be charged. Hopefully the place wouldn't be too crowded.

* * *

Unable to get much sleep, Shawn rolled out of bed around 5am and decided to get his day started. Lauren's return address was a small town outside of San Antonio, Texas and, if Shawn's memory was correct, it was about 14 hours to Houston. He figured that he would arrive around dinner time, not that he would be in the mood for eating. He was too nervous and had to force himself to eat a bag of Combos and a burrito from a gas station the day before.

* * *

When Shawn stopped around noon, he decided to call Lauren. It rang several times before a rough voice answered, "Hello?"

Shawn froze. He was not expecting Carlton to answer and he didn't want their first conversation in a year to be over the phone. Coming up with a fake accent, Shawn said, "Ya, I'ma callin for-a Lauren."

"What for?"

"I have-a meetin wit her tamorra. I wanta her to film me shep."

"Your what?"

"Me Shep. Ya know, baa baa."

"Sheep?"

"Ya, ya. Is she ter?"

Carlton sighed. "Yeah, give me a minute."

"Kay." Shawn sighed as he heard Carlton call for Lauren. He wasn't sure that he could keep the voice going for too much longer and hoped that Lauren would come to the phone. Sure enough, it was barely a minute later when Lauren answered, "This is Lauren."

"Ah! Guten Tag Lauren! Me hopes me no callin at bad times."

"No, not at all. Um, I'm sorry, but who is this? Carlton said something about sheep?"

"Ya, ya. He is still ter?"

"No, he's in the other room."

"Good." Shawn sighed in his normal voice. "It's Shawn Spencer."

"Oh my goodness! I was not expecting you to call so soon! When did you get my letter?" Lauren whispered excitedly.

"Yesterday. And I'm in Texas right now."

"What?! I wish you had given me more warning! Carlton and I have a thing tonight and won't get back until late."

"How late?"

"Late late. Like after 10pm late."

Shawn shrugged. "That's not too late for me."

"It is for us! Lucky for you it's the weekend and neither of us have to be anywhere tomorrow."

"So I can come by tonight?"

"Um…sure, why not?!"

"10 o'clock?"

"Let's go for 10:30, just in case we get back late."

"Alright, 10:30. Thanks!"

"Sure. See ya soon!"

"Bye." Shawn took a deep breath as he hung up. He was going to see Carlton tonight. He just hoped that Carlton does not shoot him.


	8. Chapter 8

Hey everyone!

We're getting really close to the end! And now Shawn finally gets to see Lassie after almost a year! I'm so excited! I know a lot of you have theories about what happened to Lassie, but you need to wait one more chapter! Sorry!

Enjoy!

* * *

CHAPTER 8

Shawn drove his bike up and down the streets, trying to find the right one but he was having a hard time. He had forgotten to factor in time zones and it was fast approaching 10:30. With a sigh, he pulled over and took out his phone. He quickly Google mapped where he was and found that he was on the complete wrong side of town.

It was almost 11pm when Shawn finally stopped outside of the address Lauren had given him. It was a modest two-story house that could not have more than three bedrooms. He parked his bike on the street and slowly made his way up to the front door. The porch light and a living room light were both on. Taking a deep breath, Shawn knocked and waited.

It was not long before he heard some voices and the door opened slightly, revealing Lauren. "Oh, hey! It's about time you got here! I thought you might have gotten lost or chickened out."

Shawn shrugged, "Well, I didn't come all the way out here to…."

"Who the hell is visiting this…" Carlton cut Shawn off as he opened the door wider but paused when he saw who was on the porch. "late?"

Shawn smiled nervously and gave a small wave. "Hey Lassie."

Carlton seemed frozen and Lauren and Shawn just stared at him. "Are you okay?" Lauren asked.

Carlton's expression darkened as he growled, "Go away," before slamming the door.

Shawn could hear Lauren reprimanding him and Carlton threatening to shoot Shawn. They continued to argue for a few minutes until all talking stopped. Soon, the door opened again and Lauren smiled at Shawn. "Come on in. You must be exhausted! Do you want something to eat?"

Shawn shook his head as he walked in. "I'm not really hungry."

"When was the last time you ate?"

"I guess when I called you."

"10 hours?! Oh no. You need something to eat. I just went to the store yesterday, so there's a wide selection of fruits, vegetables, bread, chips, juice, tea; I can even make some coffee."

"How about pineapple?"

Lauren laughed, "No, sorry. Carlton won't let me buy anything pineapple-related."

Shawn gasped. "What?! You haven't had pineapple in a year?! We must remedy that IMMEDIATELY!" Shawn yelled.

"SHHH!" Lauren tried to shush him but they heard a baby cry.

Shawn frowned. "Is that a baby?"

"Well, it's certainly not Carlton crying."

"Did you have a baby? Is that why Carlton left?"

"Yes and no."

"What does that mean?" Shawn asked as Carlton came down carrying something wrapped in a blanket.

"It's none of your business." Carlton growled, causing the crying to get louder. "I'm going to heat up some formula for him." He handed the bundle to Lauren before pointing at Shawn. "And you better be quiet!"

"You could have warned me!" Shawn stage whispered as Carlton walked into the kitchen.

Lauren held the baby to her chest as she swayed back and forth and started singing. Shawn smiled as the baby slowly calmed down. "What's his name?" Shawn asked quietly. Lauren just smiled at Shawn as she kept singing. "Please tell me his name isn't Muscum." Lauren laughed but continued to sing.

"It's none of your damn business." Carlton growled quietly as he stood in the doorway.

"What?! I'm not allowed to ask a simple question?" Shawn asked, slightly hurt.

"No. I agreed to let you stay the night since it's late, but you're leaving in the morning."

"Dude, I traveled halfway across the country to see you and you're gonna kick me out?!"

"Yes, because I don't trust you!" Carlton snapped before stomping back into the kitchen.

Not easily deterred, Shawn followed him. "Are you saying that you didn't miss me at all?!"

"Nope, not once." Carlton said as he took a baby bottle out of the warmer and added the formula mix.

"Wow, that hurts Lassie." Shawn whispered as he looked down at the floor. "Because I sure as hell missed you every damn day; especially since you left town without saying goodbye."

Carlton paused his movements but did not turn around. "I thought it would be best."

"For who? Even Juliet was upset that you didn't tell her and she had to find out from the Chief!"

"It's complicated." Carlton said as he turned around and tried to walk past Shawn.

Shawn grabbed Carlton's arm to stop him. "If you told me, I could have helped."

Carlton looked at Shawn sadly. "No, you couldn't have. You would have risked ruining your agreement with the department and I would rather have you upset and mad at me then in jail."

"Carlton, what else was going on besides Lauren being pregnant?"

"I can't tell you." A tear slipped down Carlton's cheek before he pulled his arm away and walked back into the living room. Even more confused, Shawn followed.

Lauren was sitting on the couch with the baby, who was fast asleep. "He's fine now, should sleep straight through the night."

Carlton nodded and reached for the baby. "I'll take him upstairs and then head to bed myself. Good night Lauren."

Lauren nodded as she took the bottle. "Good night Carlton."

"Night Lassie!" Shawn called quietly.

Carlton paused at the bottom of the stairs. "Good night Spencer." He whispered without turning around, and headed upstairs.

Shawn frowned. "Lauren, what happened to Lassie?"

Lauren sighed as she went to put the bottle back into the fridge. "A broken heart, among other things."

"So he left because he was mad at me?"

"That might have been why he didn't tell you he was leaving, but that wasn't the main reason he left."

"Then what was?"

Lauren sighed and put a hand on Shawn's shoulder. "That's Carlton's story to tell. I'm sorry."

"He's not dying, is he?" He asked, concerned

"No, he's not." She smiled slightly. "I'm going to grab you some sheets and a pillow. Feel free to have whatever you want to eat out of the kitchen. Within reason."

Shawn laughed. "Got it."

* * *

Shawn laid on the couch and just listened to the quietness of the house. He could not believe that Carlton was mad at him! Shawn should be the one mad! Carlton broke up with him while he was already feeling rejected by everyone; and then moved away without a word before they could reconcile. And what was with all the secrecy? A year ago, they were getting to the point in their relationship where they could tell each other almost anything. But now Carlton would not even tell him the name of Lauren's kid! Shawn had to figure out some way to win Carlton over in the morning, or else he would be kicked out; possibly shot. He just wished he knew why Carlton had left in the first place.


	9. Chapter 9

Hey everyone!

Look! I'm a day early! Mainly because I'm leaving tomorrow around noon and don't want to risk oversleeping and not having time to post this. Also, it gives me some time to respond to reviews tonight and tomorrow morning.

So, without further ado: the big reveal!

Enjoy!

* * *

CHAPTER 9

Shawn woke up to the sound of someone cooking in the kitchen. He groaned and pulled the blanket over his head. It was too early for anyone to be making so much noise. He wasn't sure what time it was, but it had to be too early for a Sunday.

"BREAKFAST!" Lauren called. "Time to get up, Shawn."

Shawn covered his ears and tried to fall back asleep. And it almost worked, until he heard Carlton yell, "GET OFF MY COUCH!"

Shawn jumped and fell to the floor. He pushed the blankets aside and glared at Carlton, who was behind the couch smirking. "Not cool, Lassie!" Shawn pouted.

Carlton laughed, "Maybe you should have gotten up the first time then."

Shawn watched as Carlton went into the kitchen and tickled the baby, who was strapped into a high chair. The baby laughed and hit the tray excitedly with both hands. "When did Lassie become such a softie with kids?" Shawn whispered.

Shawn sat in the chair between Lauren and Carlton, across from the baby.

They ate in mostly silence, just the baby making noise when he was ignored. Carlton would feed him bites between eating some of his own. Shawn smiled at that.

Finally, Lauren asked, "So Shawn, what have you been up to lately?"

Shawn shrugged as he looked at Lauren. "Well, I had an agreement with the department to go to the police academy for 6 months and then work for them for another 6 months. So I haven't really been on any grand adventures recently."

"Oh, come on! You're telling me that you don't have any interesting stories from the academy or intriguing cases?!"

Shawn laughed, "Well, I do have a few about the academy.…"

"Do tell!" Lauren exclaimed excitedly.

"I pulled a few pranks on the teachers and fellow students. And at graduation, I had a friend hack the sound system and play 'We Are the Champions' during the procession. And even though they suspected it was me, they couldn't prove a thing!"

Lauren laughed. "I bet your dad loved that!"

"Well, he glared at me and disappeared right after the ceremony. I guess he didn't want to blow up at me, just incase someone was eavesdropping."

Carlton threw down his fork. "When are you leaving?!"

"CARLTON!" Lauren reprimanded him. "He just got here! Are you really going to kick him out so soon when you haven't seen him in a year?!"

"Yes! Because I do not trust him!"

Shawn rolled his eyes. "Come on, Lassie! It was an accident! I was stressed! We were having trouble figuring out the case and I was just arguing with Gus! It's not my fault that Buzz just happened to open the door at that exact moment that I was complaining to Gus that I wasn't a real psychic!"

"If I didn't think it was an accident, you wouldn't even be here right now." Carlton growled.

"Are you saying you would have shot me?!"

"Probably. I definitely wouldn't have let you stay last night."

"Carlton!" Lauren started.

Carlton shook his head as he stood up. "I'm going to go change the little guy and then take him for a walk."

"Aww, that's so sweet! But I don't need any help changing." Shawn smiled.

Carlton rolled his eyes. "You know what I mean."

"Not really. Maybe if you called the baby by his name, I would have known you were referring to him."

Carlton silently picked the baby up and started for the door. Lauren sighed and stood up, blocking his path. They seemed to have a glaring contest until Carlton sighed and gave the baby to Lauren. He walked over and leaned against the wall.

Lauren smiled and started to bounce the baby. "His name is Booker."

"Really?! That's a horrible name for a kid." Shawn said as Carlton glared at him.

"What the hell is wrong with it?!"

"Well, for one, he's gonna get beat up everyday in school and get tagged with a lot of horrible nicknames."

Lauren shook her head. "We sometimes call him by his middle name: Spencer." Lauren said as she gave the baby to Shawn.

Shawn gingerly took the baby and looked at Lauren with shock. "You, you named your kid after me?!"

"I didn't name him." Lauren said as Shawn frowned. "Because he's not mine." She turned and looked at Carlton who was staring at the floor. "Carlton is the father."

Shawn was shocked and looked between Carlton and the baby. "Y-you, you had a kid. Is that why you broke up with me? Because you were with a women while we were dating?!"

Carlton looked up and glared at Shawn. "What?! No! Don't you dare insult me like that!"

"Well, the way I see it, the math doesn't add up then! This kid is barely 5 or 6 months old and it only takes 9 months to make a baby. So you had sex with her over a year ago, probably around the time…we had our anniversary." Shawn looked down and away. "You were with a woman the same week as our anniversary." He shook his head and gave the baby back to Lauren. "I, I have to go." He stood up and headed for the door.

Shawn was about to open the front door when a hand grabbed his arm and turned him around quickly before slamming him against the door. "Ow!" Shawn exclaimed.

Carlton was barely half a foot from Shawn's face as he glared at him. "The only person that I've had sex with in the last few years is you!"

"Then what's with the kid?! Don't tell me you adopted some stranger's baby."

Carlton growled before closing the gap and kissed Shawn hard. It took Shawn a few minutes to kick start his brain but he finally started kissing Carlton back. The kiss eventually slowed down; and after a few minutes, they pulled apart far enough to get air. Breathing heavily, Carlton leaned his forehead against Shawn's; both of their eyes were closed.

"There was never anyone else." Carlton whispered.

"I still don't understand, unless…" Shawn opened his eyes and stared at Carlton. "You were pregnant." Carlton nodded but still kept his eyes closed.

Shawn pushed him away gently and started pacing. He noticed that Lauren had left with the baby, probably upstairs since the ceiling was creaking slightly. Carlton stayed by the door and just watched Shawn pace.

"You're one of the special ones?"

"Apparently." Carlton muttered.

"You never told me."

"I didn't know."

"Not until you got pregnant."

"Yes."

"That's why you were sick last year."

"Yes."

"And you broke up with me because you were pregnant?"

"No."

"No?! Then what the hell?! Why didn't you tell me that you were pregnant? And since I'm the only one you've had sex with recently that means… ." Shawn stopped pacing and stood there in shock. "That means I'm a daddy."

Carlton nodded. "Yes, you're the other father. No, I didn't break up with you because of the pregnancy. I found out I was pregnant the day after, when I went to the doctor's office."

"I'm a daddy." Shawn whispered as he collapsed on the couch. Looking up at Carlton, he asked softly, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Carlton shook his head. "I didn't want you to mess up your deal with the department."

"You still should have told me."

"I was mad at you! Plus all the hormones were messing with me and I was dealing with morning sickness and various other ailments of pregnancy."

"Who else knows?"

"Besides various doctors and nurses, just Chief Vick." Carlton shrugged. "My mother doesn't even know that she has a grandson."

"You told Chief Vick? And not me?!"

"After I found I was pregnant I, I didn't know where else to go. I ended up at the station and talked to Chief Vick. She's been helping me and giving me updates on you."

"Oh! So while I had no idea where you were, you were able to stalk me!" Shawn asked angrily.

"No! I just wanted to make sure that you were completing your agreement."

"Were you ever going to tell me?!"

Carlton sat on the couch next to Shawn but didn't look at him. "I wanted to so many times, but as the months went by, I lost my nerve. I knew you were going to be mad at me and I didn't want you to run before your agreement was complete."

Shawn shook his head. "I was going to be mad at you either way."

"I was planning a trip back to Santa Barbara in a few months. I wanted to tell you everything and be able to celebrate Booker's 1st birthday with you."

"You were planning on coming back?" Shawn whispered.

"Yeah. Vick says that I have until Booker's first birthday to decide if I want to be head detective again. But I can't see that happening as a single dad."

"Oh! So you were going to use me to get your job back!" Shawn spat.

Carlton took Shawn's hand and looked him in the eyes. "No. I wanted to see if we could work things out. Because I wouldn't be able to stand seeing you everyday at work if we weren't living together."

"You, you still want me to move in with you?" Shawn asked shakily.

"Yeah. That's if you can forgive me for keeping you out of the loop. I know it wasn't fair, but I didn't want you to end up in jail." A tear fell down Carlton's cheek. "You might not have gotten out alive, and then where would I be?"

Shawn wiped the tear off Carlton's cheek and kept his hand there. "Oh Lassie. When did you become a big ol' softie?"

"Having a baby changes people."

"Yeah." Shawn laughed. "I'm a dad!"

Carlton nodded. "Yeah." He leaned closer to Shawn. "We both are."

Shawn smiled as he closed the gap and kissed Carlton softly. This time, the kiss was slower and didn't last as long. Ending the kiss, Shawn pulled Carlton into a hug, and rested his head on Carlton's shoulder. "I missed you." Shawn whispered.

"Me too."

Shawn laughed. "You missed yourself?"

Carlton shook his head and lightly slapped Shawn in the back of the head. "Smartass."

"Yep! But I'm your smartass! For as long as you'll have me."

"Then you better be in it for the long haul, because I don't let go easily."

"Ditto." Shawn whispered.


	10. Chapter 10

So, was that what you were expecting? I feel like I left enough clues that at least a few people figured it out. It was so hard not to post spoilers when responding to reviews. Please let me know how I did, I spent a lot of time agonizing over this story, trying to make it suspenseful and mysterious without giving too much away. There's still a couple more surprises in this final chapter.

Like I've said, I have a 2nd story that will run along side this one from Lassie's point of view. It will be posted as a work in progress, probably starting in August.

I'm still looking for a title for the non-psychic psych office!

Thank you for reading and reviewing! Enjoy!

* * *

CHAPTER 10

*3 months later*

Carlton stood on the porch and looked at all their guests. They were holding a small barbeque in celebration of Memorial Day, a new house, and Carlton being back on the force. There were also a few more reasons but Carlton hadn't told Shawn yet.

Nodding at Lauren, Carlton stepped to the edge of the porch and called out, "Alright, can I have everyone's attention!"

A few people turned around, but a majority was still talking, including the group Shawn was laughing with. Rolling his eyes, Carlton yelled, "KNOCK IT OFF!"

A silence quickly filled the yard, broken by Shawn hurrying over. "Lassie, is it time for your nap?"

"No, but I have some things to say to everyone gathered here."

"Okie dokie." Shawn said as he took Carlton's hand and faced the crowd. "Hey everyone! We're so excited that you were able to join our shindig tonight. I know you all are just as excited as I am to have Lassie with us, again." Shawn looked at Carlton expectantly as the crowd applauded.

Carlton smiled. "It's good to be back. It's been a very interesting year and a half with many ups and downs. I never thought that I would have a kid, especially with Shawn."

"Ouch, Lassie! That hurt! Anyways, we're glad to have you all in our lives and hope to celebrate more things with you."

"And on that note, I have something I would like to ask Shawn." Carlton said as he turned towards Shawn and took both of his hands.

Shawn coughed nervously. "If you're going to ask where the cake is, I promise that a friend is bringing it! It was just a bit bigger than expected."

"I don't care about the cake right now." Carlton took a deep breath. "Ever since you came into my life 7 years ago, you flipped everything upside down and made me question everything, including my sanity at times."

"Well, you really do need to let loose more."

"The year without you was one of the hardest things I had to do, and probably the loneliest I've been."

Shawn laughed awkwardly. "I know. We've had this conversation before; I don't know why we have to rehash it for everyone here."

Carlton shook his head and muttered, "For a fake psychic, you're missing the point." Clearing his throat, he continued. "In the past year, I've been doing a lot of thinking. And about a month ago, I made a decision. About us."

When Carlton paused, Shawn frowned. "Oh-kay. So, what is this decision, and do I have any say in the matter?"

"Your answer makes all the difference." Carlton smiled as he got down on one knee and pulled out a box. "Shawn, will you marry me?"

Shawn stared at the box for a few seconds before whispering, "No."

Carlton frowned. "What?!"

"No." Shawn shook his head slowly. "No way… did you buy a ring without me noticing!" He exclaimed, starting to move his hands wildly. "How did I not see this coming?! Especially with you and Lauren hanging out a lot recently. *gasp* Lauren!" Shawn turned to Lauren, who was holding Booker. "Why didn't you tell me?! I thought we were close?"

Lauren rolled her eyes, "Because we wanted it to be a surprise!"

"This is so not cool! I was the one who was supposed to plan a big ol' extravagant proposal to embarrass Lassie!"

Carlton coughed nervously, "Shawn! I'm still waiting for an answer. And you are embarrassing me right now."

Shawn laughed as he looked back at Carlton. "Oh, sorry Lassie. Of course I will marry you! Why would you ever doubt my love for you?"

"Because marriage is a big commitment and you hate responsibilities."

"Hey! I'm getting better!"

"JUST KISS ALREADY!" Juliet shouted.

Shawn laughed as Carlton blushed. Shawn got down on his knees and kissed Carlton. When they finally pulled apart, Carlton opened the ring box and showed Shawn a silver ring with a pineapple and gun engraved on the inside of it. Shawn laughed as Carlton put it on his finger. The crowd erupted into applause as they finally stood back up.

Shawn gave Carlton a quick hug before admiring the ring closer. "Hey Lassie, what are these stones?"

"They're birthstones."

"Oh, okay. But why are there 4 of them? There's March for you, February for me, and September for Booker. But why is there a December birthstone? I don't know anyone with a December birthday."

Carlton smiled as he took Shawn's hand and placed it on his stomach. "I'm pregnant. Due in December."

Shawn stared at Carlton's stomach as he mumbled, "You're trying to give me a heart attack today, aren't you?"

Carlton laughed, "No."

"OMG LASSIE!" Shawn exclaimed as he hugged Carlton.


End file.
